You Should Smile More: KidLit Confections Happy Smiles Cookies

    "You should smile more." "Look on the bright side!" "I just want you to be happy." The concept of "Happy" is complex and nuanced and can manifest in many different ways. 

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

When I decided to share these Happy Smiles Cookies as an official #KidLitConfections recipe, I had a hard time deciding which book to share them with. So instead of choosing, I am going to share three wonderful books that I've recently read, each of which explores the concept of "Happy" in different ways. Because "Happy" is more than just putting on a smile or acting the part. And "Happy" is sometimes complicated and interwoven with Sad and Angry and a whole range of other emotions.

I hope these cookies can bring a smile to your life as you read these books full of hope in all of the different ways "Happy" can manifest.

The Book:

THIS WAY TO HAPPY by Alison Green Myers

Description from the Publisher:

From Schneider Family Book Award winner Alison Green Myers comes a heartwarming middle grade novel about loss, friendship, and the many paths we create to happiness.

Growing up at her grandparents' amusement park, Reilly Rhoades spent her life in the glow of bright lights, hard work, and sweet treats. That is until her beloved grandfather died. With Grandpa gone now, the sweetness of the park disappears, and the pride Reilly had for her family’s legacy grows bitter.

Without Grandpa, Reilly’s family fights to keep the park going—spreading happiness to others as they struggle to find it themselves. The strain causes one problem after another to erupt, until the Rhoades family, and their amusement park, comes apart at the seams.

As past traditions clash with today's realities, a new friendship splashes into Reilly’s universe. With epic advice, wild adventures, and a plan (or twenty) for tackling life’s twists and turns, Reilly Rhoades discovers that happiness doesn’t mean you have to choose between the past and the future—sometimes building a bridge connects all the best parts of you!

This Way to Happy is a rollercoaster ride that reminds readers even in the midst of life’s most challenging turns, happiness can be found just around the corner.

My Thoughts:

Reilly has grown up in her grandparents’ amusement park. Like, literally in the amusement park. Her family trailer (along with trailers for her grandparents and for her aunt and cousin), sits on the grounds of the park. And for as long as she can remember, Reilly has worked alongside her family. Helping her grandma make candy, apples, testing the rides before the park opens, and reminding park goers to “find your happy!” Because that’s the Rhoades Family Way. Three generations, working together to make dreams come true. But this summer, Grandpa isn’t here. He passed away while working on his newest big surprise for the park. And when Grandma has a heart attack on opening day, everything feels like it’s falling apart. How is Reilly supposed to help others “find their happy” when she’s pretty sure her own “happy” is disintegrating?

This is a sweet book about grief and family, and finding ways to move forward, even when everything around you is changing. The explorations of traditions versus innovations and finding your own path versus living up to others expectations are so relatable and relevant. Because traditions ARE important. And it’s good to keep tabs on your roots and always remember where you came from. But it’s also very important to not let the expectation of tradition and “that’s how it’s always been” to keep you from growing and finding your own “happy.”

The story is well written, and it will resonate with audiences dealing with grief, or change, or complicated family dynamics. (So… I guess that’s all of us at some point or another.) And it's a great reminder that "happy" isn't a flat dynamic, but an emotion in flux. And there are a lot of different ways to get there! 

The Book:

HAPPY RIGHT NOW by Julie Berry and Holly Hatam

Description from the Publisher:

An illustrated picture book that teaches the best way to be happy is to embrace the circumstances we find ourselves in each day

Happy Right Now brings a much-needed message to kids: it’s great to feel happy, but it’s okay to feel sad sometimes too.

 

Dealing with emotions can be hard. Children experience the same range of strong feelings as adults, but often don’t have the tools to deal with them. For children ages 4 to 8, Happy Right Now teaches emotional intelligence with fun, relatable imagery and clever rhymes.

 

Award-winning author Julie Berry brings a playful bounce to the important lesson that kids don’t need to wait for fantastic gifts, school vacations, or sunny days to find joy in the moment. And even if they can’t find a way to choose happiness—if the blues are just too strong—Berry provides a series of quick practices to help young readers move through their sadness.

 

Smartly illustrated by Holly Hatam, Happy Right Now is perfect for children, parents, and caregivers who want to learn how to navigate difficult emotions and embrace the bright side of any situation, rain or shine.

My Thoughts:

I'll be happy when I have... a castle and a friendly dragon. Or I can be happy right now! 

This book follows our main character through a whole host of "what ifs?" and wishes and "I'll be happy when..." moments. And we get to experience the acceptance and acknowledgment that you don't need to wait for the perfect moment when you have everything you might desire. You can choose to be happy, even when you're right in the middle of the sad or difficult times. It's a lesson that can be extremely difficult to learn, but it's so important to realize that waiting for that magical moment of perfection before allowing yourself to be happy just means you'll be consistently disappointed. We don't need to wait!

However, I am glad that this book also explores those moments when choosing to be happy isn't enough. Because you don't always get to choose. The reality is that there will likely be sad days when happy just isn't quite there for you. Everyone experiences these moments sometimes. And some people need extra help getting through those moments. 

That's OK!

If you keep going, eventually you'll get to the other side. Whether you can find it on your own or whether you need professional help to get there, you can find the happy again.

The Book:

I AM NOT HAPPY by Caroline L. Perry and Sydney Hanson

Description from the Publisher:

In the vein of Grumpy Monkey and Unicorns Are the Worst!, this hilarious picture book introduces the adorable quokka, who—despite his ever-present smile—is definitely not as happy as he looks!

With its bright eyes, puffy cheeks, and beaming smile, the quokka is clearly the happiest animal on earth. Or is it? This quokka is here to tell you…he is not happy! At least not all the time. Just like everyone else, he can be sulky, or sorry, or sad; but you’d never know from the look on his face! So, what’s a moody marsupial to do when he’s being misunderstood? Teach every other animal from kangaroos to koalas not to judge a critter by its cover!

My Thoughts:

I love this story of a super-adorable quokka, who may LOOK happy, but looks can be deceiving! 

There are lots of stories about folks who have resting grump face, but what if you have resting happy face? What if everyone thinks they don't have to take your feelings into consideration because you're always happy about everything? As an autistic woman who has felt the need to mask my feelings/reactions my whole life, I felt for this poor quokka! Also... it's just really fun to read! I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author. 

And the illustrations are absolutely adorable as well. I'll be watching for other books illustrated by Sydney Hanson.

The Recipe:

These cookies, with their potato starch base, are inspired in part by the Smiles potatoes that my kids and their friends used to love when they were little. (But don't expect them to be savory potato puffs. They're sweet and fluffy, and they don't taste like potatoes, although the potato starch makes them extra-soft.)

The challenge to turn those potato puffs into a potato-based Smile cookie came from my friend, Robin Palmer, when she was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Robin has one of the most contagious smiles you have ever seen (a human version of the ever-smiling quokka!), and she's quick to find things to be happy about, even when things are tough. So when she joked about making me find a way to turn the smiley potato puffs she remembered into a delicious cookie, I had to accept the challenge. And pairing the resulting recipe with equally-delicious books was a fun way to connect with all of the different parts of her smiley (but not always strictly "happy") disposition!

Happy Smiles Cookies

2 c butter
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 c potato starch
3 c GF AP flour

Cream together, butter and sugar.

Add eggs, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and potato starch. Mix together on low speed, just until combined, then increase to high speed and beat until light and fluffy. (Approximately 3-5 minutes.) Stir in flour.  Chill 1 hour.

Scoop into 1-inch balls. (Optional: roll in a mixture of ½ c. powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder)

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, press each cookie ball with the bottom of a drinking glass. Flatten to ¼-inch thick. Space the cookies 1-2 inches apart after pressing them flat. Chill again for 1 hour.

Using a piece of a drinking straw, cut out 2 circles for eyes on each cookie. Use the curved edge of a small spoon to create a smile on each. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-9 minutes, until the cookies are set but still soft.  

*Optional: Bake a few cookies, then freeze some, unbaked, for future cookie emergencies! Prepare dough as if you were prepping to bake the cookies (portion, press flat, and cut out the eyes and smile on each). Then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (no need to keep space between them this time), and freeze 2-4 hours or overnight. Once frozen, transfer cookie dough to a large freezer bag and return to your freezer. You can bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes. Fresh-baked cookie smiles anytime!

 

 

This recipe, originally created for Robyn Palmer, pairs well with THIS WAY TO HAPPY by Alison Green Myers, HAPPY RIGHT NOW by Julie Berry and Holly Hatam, and I AM NOT HAPPY by Caroline L. Perry and Sydney Hanson.

Printable PDF Recipes

Dreams and Deliciousness: KidLit Confections Gooey Butter Cookies

Sometimes, when I tell people about my #KidLitConfections, they think that a book has to be about food, or at least somewhat food-related to inspire a book-themed confection. If you've been here for a while, you'll know this simply isn't true. But sometimes I read a deliciously funny story that is about food, and these can be even more challenging to pair with a perfect recipe!

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

Today's book felt like it should have included a recipe (or two) for the mouthwatering creations that the main character bakes in the story, but unfortunately it didn't. (At least, the advance reader copy I had didn't include a recipe--please correct me if the full version does!!) But I did verify that the recipes referenced in the story are actual recipes that exist in real-life, and rather than trying to create a recipe that is already very likely quite delicious, I am pairing this book with a cookie that gives the same vibes as the winning recipe in the story. 

The Book:

GABBY TORRES IS THE BEST WINNER EVER by Angela Dominguez

Description from the Publisher:

In the second book in the Gabby Torres graphic novel series, nine-year-old Gabby discovers the true meaning of winning when she enters a baking contest, perfect for fans of THE CUPCAKE DIARIES and DORY FANTASMAGORY.

Gabby has a new idea: now that she’s finally learned how to not burn her cookies, she will become the best baker the world has ever seen!

The local grocery store's baking competition is the perfect opportunity to show everyone what she’s made of… winner material!

All she needs to do is buy books for research and baking supplies... and more baking supplies... and more baking supplies... oh dear.

What will happen when her money, and her parents’ patience, runs out?

This heartwarming series is written and illustrated by Angela Dominguez, the New York Times bestselling illustrator who created the beloved Stella Díaz series. Gabby Torres is tenacious, bold, relatable, and hilarious, reminiscent of favorite characters like Junie B. Jones, Clementine, and Ramona Quimby.

My Thoughts:

Gabby‘s best friends, Priya and Kat, win competitions (Kat for bouldering and Priya for an essay she wrote)… And Gabby wants to win something too! But what?

When she sees a poster advertising a kids’ baking competition, she’s determined to win that! But even though she’s already a good baker, coming up with the perfect, winning recipe is hard. Especially when recipe after recipe ends in disaster in the kitchen!

I’m a sucker for baking-related storylines, especially when there’s a contest involved! (I really wished the recipe for Gabby‘s sugar cream pie had been included in the back of the book… But it’s probably a recipe that exists somewhere. So I will just Google it.)

I loved Gabby spunk and determination. (She reminds me of a young me—we even have the same hobbies: reading and baking delicious desserts!) And the illustrations were simple and adorable. I think this is a series that will resonate with fans of Tara Daman’s “All Four Stars” series, with whimsical and fun illustrations reminiscent of Jeff Benton’s “Dear Dumb Diary” series.

The Recipe:

This was another of my cookies created for a missionary who wrote me a letter. I've never met Kami Lewis in person, but she heard about my promise to send cookies to missionaries who write to me about the daily miracles they see. She decided to try it out and wrote me a beautiful letter and requested cookies based on the flavor of Bluebell Gooey Butter Cake ice cream. Talk about a challenge!! First of all, I can't get the Bluebell brand of ice cream here... and even if I could, I wouldn't be able to eat it in order to figure out the flavor of this particular variety. (I checked the ingredients online, and it contains palm kernel oil, which I'm allergic to.) So I had to find some of my own spunk and determination and figure out another plan! 

In my research, I discovered that the Bluebell Gooey Butter Cake ice cream is based on the famous dessert from St. Louis. Which I had never heard of before, but I found several recipes for! So my first step was to bake a Gooey Butter Cake. Or two. 

I had to try a couple of different recipes to make sure I knew what the flavor was supposed to be (because who knows which recipe the ice cream used to base their flavor around?) 

And once I had a good idea of both the flavor and texture, it was time to translate it into cookie form. Which was an adventure in itself, resulting in many, many failed attempts before I figured out the secret. If Gabby's parents had seen my kitchen, they likely wouldn't have allowed me to keep trying! 

Luckily, my family knows that sometimes even the failed baking attempts that come out of my cookie kitchen can be delicious, even if they don't look good. They love sampling my mistakes!

These Gooey Butter Cookies are addictive, and they have quickly become a family favorite. (My mom, who always insists that gluten-free baking will never be as good as "the real thing," even asked me to make a batch for her for Christmas!)  

After writing and sharing my review for GABBY TORRES IS THE BEST WINNER EVER, I did, in fact, Google to find a recipe for Sugar Cream Pie, and I haven't made one yet, but it looks like it could be the pie version of the original cake version of this cookie! 

Gooey Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies:

2 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

4 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Gooey Butter Topping:

¼ c. light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ c. butter

1 ¼ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

¾ c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Make the butter cookie dough: Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, salt, and vanilla, and mix slowly until fully combined, then increase mixer speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, just to combine. Cover bowl and place in the fridge to chill while you mix up the topping.

Make the gooey butter topping: In a glass measuring cup, microwave butter 10-20 seconds at a time until half-melted. Remove from microwave and stir to finish melting (butter should be melted, but not hot—if it gets too hot, let it cool for a bit before proceeding). Pour into large mixing bowl. Add corn syrup, water, vanilla, salt, sugar, and egg. Gradually beat in gluten-free flour and mix well.

Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. Place each ball into a paper or silicone cupcake liner on a large baking sheet (Don’t skip this step! The cupcake liners keep the gooey filling from spilling out on the tray before the cookies have time to set properly.) Press the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each to create a space for the filling. Scoop about a teaspoon of filling into the center of each cookie. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator.

Bake* at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 9 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes on tray before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

*Optional: After chilling, bake just a few cookies & freeze the extras for 2-4 hours. Once frozen, transfer cookie dough (in cupcake liners) to a large freezer bag and return to your freezer. You can bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes. Freshly-baked cookies anytime you want!

This recipe pairs well with GABBY TORRES IS THE BEST WINNER EVER by Angela Dominguez.

Printable PDF Recipes

Especially if You're Invisible: KidLit Confections Ghost Puff Cookies

Sometimes, no matter what you do, the world makes you feel invisible. And that's not fun!

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

This year, I joined Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Picture Book Challenge to immerse myself more in the world of picture books as I work on jumpstarting my author career. As part of this community, I've discovered so many fun picture books! This is one that really touched my heart. Because I, like Gilbert, know what it feels like to be invisible.

The Book:

GILBERT AND THE GHOST by Heather Pierce Stigall and Jess Mason

Description from the Publisher:

The ghost at 632 Savannah Street is real . . . right?

Gilbert often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family's disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort.

​For kids who might often feel unseen, Gilbert and the Ghost is a ghostly tale of overcoming obstacles and finding friendship in mysterious places. Gothic, whimsical illustrations make this picture book perfect for spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.

My Thoughts:

Gilbert knows how hard it is to make friends. Especially when you're invisible. Like the ghost at 632 Savannah Street. So he makes it his mission to become friends with the ghost, even when no one else believes that the ghost is real.

This book is beautifully illustrated, with a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt invisible. I know I have definitely felt that way far more often than I want to admit... and I often wished I had someone like Gilbert who could see me. And I love the way that, in reaching out to the ghost at 632 Savannah Street, Gilbert finds a way to be seen himself. I highly recommend this story!

The Recipe:

This recipe was inspired by a trio of ghosts that helped me through a very difficult time in my life. These cookies were a nod to the "phantoms" in the Netflix TV show Julie and the Phantoms (from 2020), and particularly the line Reggie says: "We're less than nobody. We have no bodies!" - Because the show hit at a time when I was feeling like less than nobody, but it helped me to realize that even when I was invisible, I could be a positive force in the world. The cookies are maple-flavored because I always associate warm, comforting flavors like maple with fall, and that's when I originally watched Julie and the Phantoms. It's also the season GILBERT AND THE GHOST is set in, so that makes these extra-perfect to pair with the book. (And yes, I know we're sort of past the fall season now, with snow falling and Christmas bells ringing, but it's not technically winter yet, so this still counts as a fall confection!)

It might feel difficult to reach out to others, especially if you're feeling invisible. But even an invisible somebody has the potential to make the world a bit sweeter. That's the message I see in this book, with Gilbert's selfless service toward a ghost he's never met, simply because he knows what it's like to have trouble making friends. Especially when you're invisible. So what better cookies to pair with this book than a delicious maple cookie that "has no body" like this one? The little "ghost" marshmallows melt away in the baking process, leaving a hollow cookie puff with a little something extra sweet inside. 

Fall Phantoms Cookies

2 c. maple syrup (reduced to 1 ½ c.)

2 c. butter

½ c. cornstarch

3 eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

5 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Mini marshmallows (aka “ghosts”)

Reduce the maple syrup: Pour 2 c. maple syrup into a 2-quart or larger glass measuring bowl. (You need the extra room—don’t be tempted to use a smaller bowl!) Heat on high in the microwave to reduce the liquid. The timing will vary based on your microwave. Start with 3 minutes, but don't take your eyes off it for a second! Stop & stir every time it starts to bubble up, so it won't boil over! Once the syrup starts boiling, you will have to stop it more and more frequently to stir down the bubbles, until it starts to thicken. (Once some of the liquid has boiled off, it will bubble up less.) -- Keep heating on high, 30 seconds at a time, until the syrup has reduced to 1 1/2 c. (You can also reduce the syrup by heating on the stove, stirring constantly so it won't burn or boil over, but that's more finicky and has more of a risk of burning the syrup.)

Stir in cold butter, until it's thoroughly combined. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours, until butter/syrup is slightly solidified, but not hard.

Transfer to large mixing bowl and beat in cornstarch, eggs, soda, and salt. Stir in flour. Then cover and chill overnight.

Scoop dough into 1/2-inch balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and place a mini marshmallow in the center. Fold the edges up around the marshmallow and pinch together to seal. Roll slightly in your hands to even out the dough, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

 Bake at 375F for 8-9 minutes, until slightly browned on the bottom. Cool for a few minutes on the tray, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely..

Makes about 16 dozen bite-sized cookies.

*Most of my cookie recipes can be portioned and frozen for easy baking later, but these need to thaw completely before baking, and they might not puff up as expected if cooked from frozen dough (though they will still be delicious)!

This recipe pairs well with GILBERT AND THE GHOST by Heather Pierce Stigall and Jess Mason.

Printable PDF Recipes

Sorting Sweets: KidLit Confections Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie

Sometimes I read a book and know exactly which recipe from my existing archives will pair perfectly as a #KidLitConfections treat. Sometimes, I create recipes specifically for the books I want to share. And sometimes, like this week, I only find the right recipe after systematically sorting through all of the recipes I have in my stash, trying each one to see if it fits until I find the right pairing...

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

When I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, I literally jumped at the chance! The artwork is adorable, the concept is cute, and anyone who knows me could tell you that I'm a huge fan of puns, so a book called CATerwaul about a group of precocious kittens caterwauling about Grandma's upcoming move was right up my alley!

The Book:

CATERWAUL by Ann Marie Stephens and Jenn Harney

Description from the Publisher:

Math-loving kittens help Grandma pack up her belongings for her move to the Catskill Mountains in this playful picture book that demonstrates the key math concept of sorting.

Nine chaotic kittens are tasked with helping Grandma sort and pack her belongings before the moving van arrives. But they don’t want to see her go, and besides, there’s so much fun stuff to look through! When the moving van pulls up, the kittens can’t help CATerwauling until Grandma helps them sort their feelings and realize that although she may be leaving her house, she’ll always be there for her family. . . . 

Author Ann Marie Stephens draws upon more than 30 years of teaching experience to ensure that readers absorb math while having fun in the adventure-filled A CATastrophe Tale series. Jenn Harney’s energetic illustrations hilariously capture the antics of these enthusiastic kittens.

Each book in the A CATastrophe Tale series includes helpful back matter, which shows readers that, just like the kittens, they use mathematical skills in their everyday lives. Additional titles in the series include CATastrophe!: A Story of Patterns, CATawampus!: A Story of Shapes, and sCATtered!: A Story of Estimation.

My Thoughts:

I always thought I wasn't very good at math. I would point to the amount of time it took me to work out an equation in math class, and the way my brain never wanted to process the answers the same way my teacher taught us to get there... And I would simply sigh and say "I'm just not good at this!" But put me in a kitchen with the task of adapting a recipe to feed a larger (or smaller) crowd than the original specified and with four different ingredient substitutions to accommodate food allergies or dietary preferences (or simply the fact that my budget wouldn't allow for the expensive specialty ingredients required...) and suddenly I could work complex equations in my head to get the recipe proportions just right. Eventually, I realized that I wasn't bad at math. I simply wasn't very good at focusing on the math that didn't feel relevant to my life! I love the way this book introduces an essential mathematical concept in a way that makes it easy and accessible, so young readers can see that yes, they are good at math, even if it's not the kind of math they usually think about!

Beyond the exploration of sorting, this story hits a familiar note that will resonate with almost all readers, at one point or another. The kittens are sad because Grandma is moving to a new house. But they like this house, with it's familiar walls and floors and memories. They don't want her to go! 

Change can be so difficult, at any age. It's easy to focus on the things you'll be leaving behind, and all the things you'll miss. But sorting through those sad feelings to find and focus on the things that will stay the same is so helpful! 

The Recipe:

I'm a huge fan of salty/sweet flavor combinations, and peanut butter is practically made to go with chocolate. So when I made the gluten-free version of my 3.1415926 Ultimate Pie a while ago and I had extra chocolate crusts to play with, I had to try a peanut butter chocolate cream pie, even if I didn't have a book to pair it with yet!

When I first started searching through my recipe files to find the perfect #KidLitConfections creation to pair with this adorable book, I initially thought I'd go with one of my cookie recipes. Perhaps one that has several different variations to the recipe, so I could play on the idea that the cookies could be sorted into subsets by variety... But I also wanted something that leaned heavily toward the category of "comfort food" to reflect the way the kittens find comfort in their sweet memories with Grandma. And the more I looked, the more I kept thinking about the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials where someone accidentally gets their chocolate into someone else's peanut butter and they discover that the two categories of flavor/texture go perfectly together... So I ultimately came back to this pie, with its layers that can be sorted into three separate flavors (vanilla for the whipped cream, dark chocolate for the chocolate mousse and the crust, and peanut butter for the second mousse) or into two textures (crispy, flaky crust and soft, fluffy cream).

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mousse Pie

GF Chocolate Crust*:

1 c. butter, softened

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened

¼ c. heavy cream

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 c. gluten-free, all-purpose flour

¼ c. cocoa powder

 

Peanut Butter Mousse Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla bean paste

½ tsp. salt

1/3 c. peanut butter

Chocolate Mousse Layer:

1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

 

Whipped Cream Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla bean paste

½ tsp. salt

First, make the crust*: In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream on low speed until smooth. Add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly. Stir in flour and cocoa powder, until the dough is combined well enough to hold together in a soft ball. Divide the dough into four evenly sized pieces. Shape each piece into a disk that is approximately 1-inch thick, smoothing the edges. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.

Prepare the crust: Place 1 disc of crust dough between 2 large sheets of waxed paper. (Save the other crusts for future desserts!) Roll into a thin circle, approximately 1 ¼” larger all around than your pie tin. Transfer dough to your pie tin and crimp the edges all around. Prick the bottom of the dough all around with a fork, then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Peanut Butter Mousse Layer: Whip the cream, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. In a glass measuring cup, melt peanut butter in the microwave, stirring after every 15 seconds or so until it’s pourable but not hot. Carefully drizzle it over the whipped cream. Fold in gently, just to incorporate. Spread evenly in cooled pie crust.

Chocolate Mousse Layer: In large mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients. Whip with wire whisk attachment on your mixer, until stiff peaks form. Gently spoon mousse over peanut butter mousse layer and spread evenly.

Whipped Cream Topping: In a large, clean mixing bowl, whip together heavy cream, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. Gently spread over chocolate mousse layer.

Chill 2-3 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.

Serves 8.

*This Gluten Free Chocolate Pie Crust recipe (adapted from Chef Alina’s Gluten-Free Foolproof Cream Cheese Pie Crust) makes 4 crusts, but you’ll only use 1 for this pie. The extra crusts can be refrigerated for up to four days. Or wrap well and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use your dough, remove from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, remove from the fridge and let it rest for 15 minutes or so at room temperature before you roll it out, so it’s not too stiff.

Note: Pie can be frozen (whole or by the slice) in an airtight container. Simply remove from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

This recipe pairs well with CATERWAUL by Ann Marie Stephens and Jenn Harney

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